Miracle tot Cosmo Trafford returns to Bristol hospital which saved his life

WHEN Cosmo Trafford suffered a cardiac arrest at five weeks old he was given just a five per cent chance of survival.

But a year after the youngster's heart stopped for 32 minutes there is barely a sign of the episode despite his mother Vicky being told that if he did survive it was likely he would have suffered significant brain injury.

Cosmo and his parents returned to Bristol Children's Hospital on Saturday – the anniversary of the youngster's cardiac arrest – to thank the staff who cared for him and hand over a £2,000 donation to the Grand Appeal.

Mrs Trafford said it was fortunate that her neighbours – a prison officer and a paramedic – were both at home when Cosmo's heart stopped as they knew exactly what to do.

"It was scary," Mrs Trafford, 34, said.

"Cosmo had not been very well. He screamed so I picked him up and then he was gasping for breath.

"I said to my husband to ring for an ambulance and then ran out of the front door with him.

"My neighbour was on her doorstep and she ran over. She grabbed him and started doing CPR.

"Then her next-door neighbour came out to see what all the shouting was about and she's a paramedic so I couldn't have been luckier.

"I couldn't have asked for more than that, especially that they were both home and not at work."

Mrs Trafford said that even after the ambulance crew arrived they could not get Cosmo's heart started and it was not until he arrived at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital that it began to beat again.

Doctors then said the youngster would need to be sent to a specialist unit and Mrs Trafford asked for him to be transferred to Bristol because she grew up in St George and her family still live in the city.

Cosmo spent a week in the paediatric intensive care unit at Bristol Children's Hospital.

"At first they were telling us he would be there for months, if he made it and woke up. They said that if he did he would be disabled.

"But having been told there was a four to five per cent chance of survival we didn't think we were going to take him home."

Cosmo was on a ventilator to support his breathing but he soon started breathing on his own and within two weeks he was able to return home.

The youngster, who has siblings Sophie, 16, Jacob, 15, Olivia, 13 and Alfie, nine, also spent time on a cold mat to reduce his temperature and minimise swelling to his brain.

"It was so quick it was amazing," Mrs Trafford said.

"They organised physio and a cardiac consultant in Bristol that we see as well as doctors in Gloucester."

And a year on from Cosmo's cardiac arrest there is no sign of any lasting damage. The youngster has epilepsy but is being weaned off of the medication he takes for it. He also has a condition which means his heart sometimes beats too fast and it is not known whether it was the cause of the cardiac arrest or a result of it.

"Cosmo has just been signed off by the physio, who doesn't think there are any physical disabilities," Mrs Trafford said.

"He's doing everything that a one-year-old should do.

"They thought he might be deaf and blind, but he's not. He's absolutely fine.

"His consultant in Gloucester says he's a miracle because he should not be so well."

Dad Glen, 32, decided to start fundraising for the Grand Appeal when the youngster was in hospital with donations to the page he set up and for donations instead of presents for Cosmo's first birthday last month.

"It's amazing that so much money has been raised but it's great to be helping other families," Mrs Trafford said.

And after visiting the team at Bristol Children's Hospital the family went on to have a celebratory meal at Cosmo.

To support the family's fundraising for The Grand Appeal visit Cosmo Trafford Just Giving website .